JPH0745008B2 - Fluid separation device and method - Google Patents

Description

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a separation device that uses a hollow fiber membrane to separate a fluid into a permeate and a residual portion.
More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of a plurality of concentrically compressed wafers in a module having a port for introducing fluid and a port for discharging permeate and residual portions of fluid. Each module comprises a plurality of hollow fiber membrane sheets, the hollow fibers of each sheet being arranged in parallel alignment, the fibers running chordally across the wafer. The ends of each hollow fiber terminate in the outer surface of the wafer through which the permeate fluid flows.

The module is useful in ultrafiltration applications and can be used for the separation of gases, liquids and mixtures thereof, hereafter referred to as fluid feed streams. Thus, various membrane materials can be selected from known compositions as well as new film compositions that are continuously being developed. As will become more apparent below, the wafer uses relatively short hollow fibers that are no longer than the diameter of the wafer and significantly less than the total length of the separation module.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is well known to use various forms of membranes for fluid separation to obtain the desired portion of the fluid. Generally, one or more components of the feed fluid permeate the membrane and are collected as the permeate portion. When a fresh portion of the separated fluid is supplied to the membrane, the fluid portion that cannot pass through the membrane (residual fluid) is retained and drained.

Membranes formed as hollow fibers or tubes are particularly useful because they are inherently strong and withstand filtration pressures, have a high area / volume ratio, and facilitate hollow fiber fabrication with a variety of mechanical attachments. This is because they can be arranged. Prior art separation modules were shaped as long cylinders with hollow fibers that were axially arranged and ended with a plug of potting material. One or both plugs are sliced to expose the open fiber ends, allowing permeate fluid flow from the lumen of the tubular fiber.

In existing devices, the fluid to be separated is supplied to the outside of the fiber and the permeate fluid is collected from the lumen of the fiber. Alternatively, the fluid to be separated may be fed into the lumen of the fiber and the permeating fluid may be discharged from outside the fiber.

The hollow fiber membrane is advantageously attached to an annular frame or similar frame or retainer having a continuous periphery and an open central portion. The fibers are stretched over the open center of the frame and the ends are embedded in the retainer, thus forming a wafer. Both ends of the fiber are exposed to the outer surface of the retainer to allow access to and from the interior of the fiber, while the outer surface of the fiber is accessible at the center of the retainer opening.

In order to obtain a relatively high volume separation rate, the membrane wafers are generally stacked concentrically so that the cages abut one another in sealing contact. A tight seal between adjacent wafers is essential to avoid mixing residual fluid and permeate fluid.
In order to achieve the desired high volume separation rate, the pressure of the fluid that is subjected to the separation process is as high as possible. However, depending on the direction of the pressure differential, the pressure of the fluid is limited by the mechanical strength of the fibers so that they do not crush or tear the fibers. The operating pressure is also limited by the fluid forces that push the wafers apart and tend to jeopardize the sealing engagement of adjacent wafer retainers.

Such membranes, and corresponding separators having such membranes, are disclosed in various patents and applications. For example, U.S. Pat.
No. 3,816 describes a device in which the inside of the hollow fiber is connected to the outside of the container so that the permeating fluid of the fluid flows out of the device or when the fluid is exchanged, the second fluid enters the inside of the fiber. .

U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,305 provides hollow fiber devices and associated methods for separating fluids. This device uses a bundle of fibers 11 oriented axially of the housing 10. The fluid feed stream is fed through the center of the bundle through a dispersion tube 12 which is closed at one end. The permeating fluid is at the outlet 39 and
It exits at each end via 40, while the residual fluid is withdrawn from outlet 35.

In French Patent 2,222,134, the wafer consists of a fabric arranged in a tube perpendicular to the direction of flow, so that the openings of the hollow fibers are positioned around it.

Japanese Patent No. 56-28031 consists of a hollow fiber tube plate formed by the use of a synthetic resin to fix both ends of the hollow tube together and a flow path for the fluid flow outside the hollow fiber. A hollow fiber membrane separator is disclosed. The tubesheet is arranged such that the direction of fluid flow outside the tube is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow fiber tube.

Finally, West German Patent 2,650,341 discloses a hollow fiber wafer for use in a separator, in which the hollow fibers are arranged in a plane in an essentially non-parallel arrangement and are perpendicular to the flow direction of the material to be separated. To be done.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-mentioned technique discloses several ways of using hollow fiber wafers in a separating device, but nevertheless
It is desirable to provide a simple separation device that uses a plurality of hollow fiber membrane wafers while maintaining a seal between adjacent wafers of the laminate. Moreover, the device desirably responds to changes in fluid inlet pressure by altering the compressive force applied to the wafer stack to promote seal engagement of adjacent wafer retainers.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a separation module that includes a plurality of hollow fiber membrane wafers in which the hollow fibers are arranged in non-axial layers of the module and in the chord of the wafer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a separation module that includes a plurality of hollow fiber membrane wafers that are compressed in axial alignment so as to separate the fluid passing through the wafer into a residual portion and a permeate portion. is there.

Yet another object of the invention is that each wafer comprises a plurality of layers of hollow fibers arranged in parallel sheets, said fibers generally being used in the axial direction of the module in existing hollow fiber membrane separators. A shorter separation module comprising a plurality of hollow fiber membrane wafers.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a separation module that can be assembled from a small wafer in various sizes. Each wafer can be individually tested during assembly and the wafers that will fail during use can be easily removed.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method for separating fluids in a module using a hollow fiber membrane with multiple layers having fibers oriented in the chord of the module.

Broadly, the present invention provides an apparatus for separating a fluid into a permeate portion and a residual portion. The apparatus comprises a plurality of hollow fiber separation wafers, each wafer having a mat of hollow fibers arranged in a chord of the wafer and a surrounding support having an inner surface and an outer surface and an upper surface and a lower surface. And means for receiving a fluid, the apparatus further comprising:
A container having a port, a second port for removing residual fluid, and a third port for extracting permeate fluid; means for axially aligned compression of a plurality of wafers; An osmotic fluid chamber within a separated container.

The present invention also provides a method of separating a fluid feed stream into a permeate portion and a residual portion. The method includes providing a separation module having a feed inlet, a residual fluid chamber connected by a plurality of axially aligned wafers, and a permeate fluid chamber. Each wafer consists of a hollow fiber mat arranged in a chord of the wafer and peripheral support means surrounding both ends of the hollow fibers. The remaining steps direct the feed stream onto the wafer, and permeate the feed stream into the permeate fluid chamber through the hollow fibers and through the peripheral support means, and the residual portion that flows around the hollow fibers and into the residual fluid chamber. And finally removing permeate and residual fluid from the module.

Another method of separating the fluid feed stream into a permeate portion and a residual portion involves directing fluid to a module containing a plurality of hollow fibers arranged in chords in parallel sheets, each sheet having a length of module. Oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the method further comprises a chamber for permeate fluid in communication with the lumen of the hollow fibers and a chamber for residual fluid in communication with the region between the hollow fibers. And separately preparing and removing permeate and residual fluid from the module.

These and other objects that will be apparent to those skilled in the art will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings and the following specification.

[Embodiment] The basic component of the separating apparatus of the present invention is the cylinder shown in FIG. 1, which is hereinafter referred to as a wafer 10. The wafer 10 comprises an outer annular potting ring 11 having an upper surface 12 and a lower surface 13 and a cylindrical inner surface 14 and a cylindrical outer surface 15. Multiple layers 16 of hollow fibers 18 are stacked within each potting ring 11,
Both ends 19 of this hollow fiber are mounted in a potting ring 11 and terminate in an outer surface 15.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the structure of each layer 16 is such that hollow fibers 18 run parallel to each other in the weft direction and filaments 20 run in the warp direction.
It is preferably a woven mat of fibers held together by. Hollow fiber 18, nylon, polyester,
It is preferably woven by warp filaments 20, which are thin, non-hollow fiber threads such as. This purpose is for each layer 16
Form a flat sheet, and the hollow fibers 18 are parallel and as straight as possible, rather than twisting or twisting the hollow fibers relative to the warp filaments 20.

Also, as shown in FIG. 3B, the hollow fibers of each layer 16 may be secured to each other by suitable adhesive coated filaments 21 on the upper side 22 or lower side 23 of each layer 16, or on both sides. Alternatively, a thin adhesive bead 24 may be used to tie the fibers 18 together as shown in FIG. 3C.

As is apparent from the drawings, hollow fibers are used to create a dense mat 25 through which a fluid, i.e. gas or liquid, flows axially.
The 18 are arranged in a chord and the layers 16 are arranged in parallel alignment or transverse angles as shown in FIG. During operation, the supply flow is matte
25, that is, the wafer 10 is caused to flow axially. When the fluid contacts the hollow fibers 18, certain components pass through the hollow fibers 18 into the lumen and then out to the periphery of the wafer, where the permeating fluid exits the open ends 19 of the fibers. During this time, the residual fluid flow passes axially through the mat and wafer and collects thereunder.

With respect to the composition of the hollow fibers, any hollow fiber that is or will be available may be used. The composition and preparation of hollow fibers for the separation of various gas and liquid mixtures are well known to the person skilled in the art, so a detailed description thereof will not be given here. It will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to a particular hollow fiber composition or method of preparation or manufacture thereof.

The wafer 10 is manufactured by a casting technique using a centrifuge. Referring to FIG. 4, a bottom portion 31 fixed to a spindle 32 of a centrifuge (not shown), a side mold portion
A mold 30 comprising a 33, a top mold portion 34 and a slinger plate 35 is provided.

To manufacture the wafer, multiple hollow fiber layers 16 are cut to the dimensions of the mold interior 36 and placed inside the mold. The mold is then closed and rotated, while at the same time pouring a resin layer such as a quick setting epoxy, wax or the like onto the slinger plate 35. During rotation, the resin is centrifugally cast and, as is apparent from FIG. 4, the resin flows downward through the hollow fiber layer and is deposited on the inner mold wall 39 surrounding the ends of the fiber layer 16 to form an annular ring 38. . The potting resin is then poured onto the slinger plate. The potting resin is also centrifugally cast to flow downward through a layer of hollow fibers to form an annular potting ring 11 of the wafer, the outer diameter of which is defined by an annular ring 38, while its inner diameter is prepared. Formed by the amount of resin applied.

After the potting resin has hardened and the potting ring 11 has been formed, the wafer 10 is removed from the mold 30. At this stage, the first annular ring 38 is removed by cutting, polishing or melting so as to be flush with the peripheral edge 15 of the potting ring 11. This leaves a plurality of hollow fiber ends all around the edge, some of which are perpendicular to the edge and others inclined or parallel to the edge. In this way, all fiber ends 19 open out of the wafer 10.

Although not shown, it is desirable to truncate layer 16 along both sides, which are tangential to potting ring 11, because layer 16 is otherwise not exposed to the feed material and is therefore wasted. Is. Of course, the hollow fibers exposed in the potting ring 11 penetrate the potting ring 11 and open to the outer surface 15.

An advantage resulting from the use of wafer 10 is the relatively short, chordally arranged fibers of the wafer. Existing hollow fiber devices for separating fluid mixtures use long, axially arranged fibers within the device or module, as generally shown in FIG. Such a module, designated by the numeral 40, uses a long continuous bundle of fibers 41 arranged axially. The fibers terminate in flat disk-shaped upper and lower epoxy plugs, or tube plates 42, 43, respectively, through which the fibers penetrate and terminate at one or both ends. Bundle consists of base 45, upper housing 46 and removable top lid
Located within a cylindrical housing 44 having 48. The upper housing 46 typically has an inner flange 49 on which the upper epoxy plug 42 is supported.
The top lid 48 also has a flange 50 or similar structure engageable with the upper tubesheet 42 to retain the bundle 41 within the module 40.

A port 51 provided on the side of the upper housing is provided as an inlet for the feed stream. The permeate fluid travels axially through the fibers and passes through the top port 52, while the residual fluid flows between the fibers and through the base port 53.

This design is functional, but all hollow fibers are
Ends in the axial direction. The tube plate has flat sides that are perpendicular to the direction of the pressure difference between the feed fluid and the permeate fluid, which is very sensitive to pressure. As a result, the diameter of the tube sheet is limited,
The tubesheet must be made very thick or the pressure differential must be limited. The tube plate counterpart for the wafer design of the present invention is a potting ring 11, which is essentially strong and resistant to differential pressure within the module.

Hollow fibers 18 tend to weaken the potting ring by penetrating the potting ring 11, but by orienting at an angle across the adjacent layers 16 and if the same number of fibers do not penetrate the potting ring 11. This effect can be minimized by truncating the layers.

The module of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 for comparison and is generally designated by the numeral 60. This module uses a container 59 consisting of a cylindrical housing 61, a base 62, an upper housing 63 and a removable top lid 64. A support shelf 65 is provided near the bottom of the housing 61 on which the wafers 10 are stacked. Module 60 also has a feed fluid port 66, a permeate fluid port 68, and a residual fluid port 69, as well as a feed flow chamber 70, a permeate fluid chamber 71, and a residual fluid chamber 72, which are discussed below. Finally, means for compressing the stack of wafers, generally designated 73, is provided. Some variants of the means 73 are shown in FIGS.

Referring to FIG. 7, module 60 is shown in greater detail. Cylindrical housing 61, base 62 and upper housing 63 are preferably made of steel or other metal such as stainless steel. Although they may be manufactured as separate components, they are joined together by welding or other suitable means to form a continuous, integral module 60, to which the top lid 64 is secured. The use of a metal of suitable thickness is desirable as protection against catastrophic failure of one or more wafers. The saddles 73, 74 may be fixed to the housings 63, 61 for mounting the module 60 horizontally.

The wafer 10 is held in a cage 80, which
The first ring 81, which actually rests on the support shelf 65 of the base, the upper centering ring 82 which fits within the permeate fluid chamber 71 and the housing 63, and the substantially cylindrical shape for receiving the wafer 10, connects the rings 8 and 82 together. And an open mesh body 83 for opening. The cage 80 not only facilitates insertion and removal of the wafer 10, but also helps maintain the wafer's axial alignment during assembly of the module 60.

During assembly and subsequent use of the module 60, it is important to seal the wafers 10 together to prevent the feed stream from passing between adjacent potting rings 11 and contaminating the permeate. As best seen in FIG. 2, this seal provides an O-ring 84 for the recess 85 in the top surface 12 of each ring 10 as well as a cage ring 81 on which the bottom wafer 10A rests.
It is achieved by fitting.

The wafers 10 are also sealed to each other by the compression means 73 described below. The outer flange 90 is part of the upper housing member 63, to which the upper lid 64 is secured by studs 91 passing through the axially aligned holes of the flange 90, the upper lid 64 and the nut 92. Supply port
66 has a throat 93 that is welded or otherwise secured to a top lid 64 and the opposite end is secured to a push plate 94. The feed stream (not shown) is fed to the feed fluid port 66 through the inlet passage 95 defined by the throat 93 and contacts the top wafer 10B. In this embodiment, there is no feed flow chamber. The push plate is the permeate fluid chamber 71
At least an O-ring 96 and a metal piston ring 98 are provided to seal the pad and this push plate rests on the uppermost wafer 10B. The use of the piston ring provides a safety measure where the module 60 is used with flammable feed streams. It is clear that the push plate 94 presses the stack of wafers firmly against the support 65 when connecting the top lid 64 and the flange 90 together.

Stacked dish washers 100 are provided between the top lid 64 and the top nut to accommodate differences in thermal expansion between the wafer epoxy potting ring 11 and the metal housing. The washer 100 biases the wafer together when partially compressed.

Referring to FIG. 8, another embodiment is shown by module 105. Module 105 essentially matches module 60, but differs in compression means 104 and the associated upper module components. First, the throat 93 of the port 66 is fixed to the top lid 64, but the top lid 64 can be moved separately with respect to the push plate 106. The large stacked dish washers 108 are then used between the push plate 106 and the top lid 64.
In this embodiment, a metal gasket or the like 109 is used to create a main seal between the top lid 64 and the flange 90. Therefore, the push plate 106 is provided with an O-ring 96. In module 105, a single feed flow chamber 110 has an inlet passage
It is installed between 95 and the wafer 10. In addition to the force applied by the dish washers, the pressure of the feed stream also exerts an axial force on the wafer 10.

Another means of sealing the module 115 and the wafer is shown in FIG. The module 115 is also similar to the module 60, except for the compression means 111 and the associated upper module components. This module uses a compression ring 116 rather than a pressure plate, which includes an O-ring 96 that seals the permeate chamber 71. The compression ring 116 includes a base 119, a cylindrical side wall forming the neck portion 120, and a flange 121 extending radially outward from the cylindrical side wall. The supply port 66 is also coupled to the top lid 64, but does not abut the compression ring 116. A compression spring 122 is received within the compression ring 116 and bolts down the top lid 64, pushing the base 119 onto the uppermost wafer 10B.

A bellows seal 124 is secured to the underside 125 of the top lid 64 and the flange 121 of the compression ring 116 to enclose a single feed flow chamber 126 between the passage 95 and the wafer 10.
The feedstream fluid exerts pressure on a flange 121 which acts on the large piston to exert downward pressure on the wafer.

Although the modules 60, 105 and 115 described herein were designed for high pressure encountered during the separation of gaseous feed streams, other vessels can be used for the separation of liquids and gases where low pressures are usually common. Two such designs have been prepared in Figures 10 and 11 and are now referenced.

The module of FIG. 10, indicated generally by the numeral 130, uses a container 129 consisting of a cylindrical housing 131, hemispherical end caps 132,133. Components 131-133 are generally thin walled and can be made of metal or fiber reinforced plastic. Threaded bosses 134, 135 and 136 are provided as a supply port, a permeate fluid port and a residual fluid port, respectively. A compression means, generally designated 138, is provided within the module 130 as described below.

The lower end cap 133 may be manufactured as a part of the housing 131, or may be separately manufactured like the upper end cap 132 and fixed to the huffing. The upper end cap 132 is provided with an outer flange 139 which mates with an outer flange 140 provided at the end of the housing 131. These two flanges are joined by a suitable mechanical clamping device 141.

The compression means 138 includes a first, angled compression ring 142 which is secured in any suitable manner such as by welding, rivets, or the like.
The ring 142 forms the base upon which the individual wafers 10 stacked are placed. Second, angled compression ring
143 is a component of the compression means 138 and has an upper end cap
Positioned in 132 in a similar manner. Both rings 142, 14
The three are leaning towards each other during the rest. However, when the wafer 10 is present and the module 130 is assembled, the rings 142, 143 are pushed apart, thus exerting a compressive force on the wafer and holding it together. A plurality of guide rods 144 are optionally secured within the housing member 131 and serve to center the wafer 10 within the module 130 during assembly. The O-ring 84 is a wafer as described above.
It is provided between 10.

The design of the module 130 can be used where weight is a concern, such as in an aircraft. In one example of use, air is supplied through supply port 134 and separated by a wafer into oxygen and nitrogen. Oxygen (permeate fluid) can be supplied for breathing and nitrogen (residual fluid) can be used as a fuel blanket. The module 130 is common with the above-described module 60 using a plurality of wafers 10. The advantage of this configuration is that a wafer that may fail prematurely can be easily replaced with a new wafer.

As is apparent from the drawings, the feed flow chamber 145 is constituted by the upper end cap 132, the pressure ring 143 and the uppermost wafer 10B. Similarly, the residual fluid chamber 146 is constituted by the lower end cap 133, the pressure ring 142 and the lowermost wafer 10A. The permeate fluid chamber 148 is between the chambers 145 and 146 and is defined by the housing wall and the annular potting ring 11 of the wafer 10.

While this design provides considerable savings over existing modules that use axial hollow fibers, it may be desirable to make disposable modules. Module 150, shown in Figure 11, provides such a design. This design includes a cylindrical housing 151, an upper end cap 152 and a lower end cap 153, a clamp ring 154, a supply port 155,
Permeate fluid port 156 and residual fluid port 158, compression means 16
1 upper pressure ring 159 and lower pressure ring 160
Using container 149 containing. Module 150 also includes a feed flow chamber 162, a residual fluid chamber 163 and a permeate fluid chamber that are comparable to the chambers described for module 130.
Including 164 The fiber laminate, designated by the numeral 165, comprises a plurality of individual wafers 10 secured together by a suitable adhesive (not shown) applied between adjacent surfaces.

During assembly of module 150, each wafer 10 is individually tested and then added to stack 165. The O-ring can be eliminated from between the wafers as the wafers are glued together. Once the module 150 is inside, it can be run until the permeate flow is contaminated or very low, then the entire module is discarded or, in a variant, the stack 165 is removed and replaced with a new one. It can be replaced by a laminate.

As will now be appreciated, the module of the present invention uses a stack of individual wafers containing chordally oriented hollow fibers. The pressure drop of the fluid flow of the permeate fluid in the lumen of the fiber is
The longer the fiber, the worse the performance, as it is detrimental to the performance of the hollow fiber module. Thus, certain performance advances in the modular design of the present invention over existing modules that use axial fibers are achieved by the use of short chordal fibers.

The present invention also provides a method of separating a fluid feed stream into a permeate portion and a residual portion. As mentioned above, the fluids to be separated include a gaseous mixture and a liquid mixture. 7th for explanation
Consider the module 60 of the figures, which is illustrated in FIGS.
It should be understood that any of the other modules 105, 115, 130 and 150 shown in FIG. 11 can be implemented.

The fluid supply stream (gas or liquid) to module 60 is supplied to inlet passage 95 via port 66. This module includes a supply flow passage 95 at one end and a residual fluid chamber at the opposite end.
Having a plurality of wafers 10 spaced from 72. Wafer
The 10 are axially arranged so that the individual units are either compressed together, such as in module 60, or secured together with a suitable adhesive, such as module 150.

The fluid is directed from the inlet passage through the wafer and onto each sheet of hollow fibers. As is apparent from the above disclosure, each sheet of fiber has a longitudinal axis A of the module.
Oriented vertically to. Within each wafer, the permeate portion of the fluid enters the hollow fibers and flows through the lumen and through the peripheral support of the wafer into the permeate fluid chamber 71. This permeate chamber is formed between the wall of the module and the concentrically aligned support 11 of the wafer. At this stage, the fluid is separated into a permeate portion and a residual portion that are finally removed from the module.

To demonstrate such use, a test module was fabricated and used for propylene separation from propane to establish wafer and module feasibility.

Based on the foregoing description and examples, it will be apparent that the modules and wafers disclosed herein meet the objectives of the present invention. Due to the nature of the individual wafer modules, almost any length of chordal module can be assembled from one dimension of the wafer by simply adding the wafer to the stack. Many different module configurations can be assembled with only a few different wafer diameters. Moreover, the wafers can be individually tested prior to module assembly, thus removing and discarding defective wafers from the module with less loss of hollow fiber than if the entire module of axial fibers had to be replaced. can do.

Another important feature of the invention that will be apparent lies in the other means by which the compression of the wafers in the module can take place. Each of the various illustrated embodiments provides more uniform compression and sealing of the wafer to accommodate dimensional changes due to pressure and temperature changes.

Thus, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art how to make, assemble and use the hollow fiber separation module disclosed herein. Based on the foregoing disclosure, it is also apparent that the use of the modules disclosed herein achieves the objectives set forth above.
It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the modules of the present invention can be readily used to separate various types of feed streams.

It will be understood that all modifications are explicitly within the scope of the claims of the present invention. Therefore, the selection of particular components can be determined without departing from the spirit of the invention disclosed and described herein. Moreover, the scope of the invention shall include all modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the claims.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wafer member of the present invention, partially cut away to show individual hollow fiber layers, and FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing stacking of adjacent wafers. 3A to 3C are perspective views of several hollow fibers taken from a fiber layer, showing another means of connecting the fibers together to form a layer, and FIG. 4 is a wafer configuration. Fig. 5 is a side sectional view of a mold for assembling the wafer member of the present invention, Fig. 5 is a partial sectional side view of a hollow fiber separation module of the prior art, and Fig. 6 is a hollow fiber according to the present invention. Fig. 7 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the separation module, Fig. 7 is a side cross-sectional view showing the hollow fiber separation module according to the invention in more detail, and Fig. 8 is an alternative view according to the invention using a standard tube seal. Of hollow fiber separation module Fig. 9 is a side sectional view of a portion, Fig. 9 is a side sectional view of an upper portion of another hollow fiber separation module according to the present invention using a bellows seal, and Fig. 10 is intended for lightweight use, FIG. 11 is a side sectional view of another hollow fiber separation module according to the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a side sectional view of another hollow fiber separation module according to the present invention intended for a disposable element. 10 …… Wafer, 12 …… Upper surface, 13 …… Lower surface, 14 …… Inner surface, 15 …… Outer surface, 16 …… Layer, 18 …… Hollow fiber, 20 …… Filament, 25 …… Mat, 30 …… Type , 40, 60, 105, 130, 150 …… Module, 59 …… Container, 61 …… Housing, 62 …… Base, 66 …… Supply fluid port, 68 …… Permeation fluid port, 69 …… Residual fluid port, 70, 126, 145, 162 ... Supply flow chamber, 71, 148, 164 ... Permeation fluid chamber, 72, 146, 163 ... Residual fluid chamber, 73, 104, 111, 138, 161 ... Compression means, 80 …… Cage, 94 …… Pressing plate, 100,108 …… Dish washer.

Claims (18)

[Claims] 1. A device for separating a fluid into a permeate portion and a residual portion, comprising a plurality of hollow fiber separating wafers for separating the fluid passing in an axial direction, wherein each wafer is a chord of the wafer. Comprising a plurality of hollow fiber mats arranged in a flat pattern and arranged in a plurality of flat continuous layers, each layer having a plurality of parallel aligned straight hollow fibers with an axial flow space therebetween. The device further comprises a continuous peripheral support means surrounding both ends of the hollow fiber and having an inner surface and an outer surface and an upper surface and a lower surface, a first port for receiving the fluid, a second port for extracting the permeate fluid, and the A container having a third port for taking out the residual fluid; a unit that acts on the supporting unit to axially align and compress the plurality of wafers; and the compressing unit and the supporting unit. Fluid separation apparatus and a permeate fluid chamber of the container separated from the feed stream and the residual fluid I. 2. At least some layers of the hollow fibers are:
The device of claim 1, wherein the layers are arranged such that they are at an angle transverse to an adjacent layer of hollow fibers. 3. A supply inlet passage in the first port communicating with the hollow fiber mat in the inner surface of the support means and the second port and the inner surface of the support means. A residual fluid chamber in communication with a mat of hollow fibers downstream of the feed flow passage, the permeate entering the hollow fibers and flowing into the permeate chamber through the support means. The device according to. 4. The container has an elongated body closed at one end, an internal shelf for receiving and supporting the plurality of axially aligned wafers, and removably secured to the opposite end of the elongated body. An end cap, wherein the first port is fixed to the end cap. 5. The pressing means is fixed to the first port and is in contact with the first of the plurality of wafers aligned in the axial direction, and the end cap and the pressing plate are connected to the one of the wafers. A device according to claim 4, including a second pushing spring means. 6. A cage positionable within the container, the cage including a first cage supportable by the inner shelf.
6. A ring, a second ring centering the cage within the elongated body, and an open mesh member between the first ring and the second ring for receiving the plurality of wafers. The described device. 7. A feed flow chamber in communication with said first port and said hollow fiber mat within said inner surface of said support means, said second port and said hollow fiber within said inner surface of said support means. A retentate chamber downstream of the feed flow chabah in communication with a mat, wherein the permeate enters the hollow fibers and flows through the support means to the permeate chamber. apparatus. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first port is supported by the end cap and has a throat extending into the feed flow chamber. 9. The means for compressing comprises a push plate that can come into contact with the first of the plurality of wafers aligned in the axial direction, and a push plate that pushes the push plate away from the end cap, and the first plate of the wafer. 5. A device according to claim 4, including pushing spring means. 10. A cage positionable within the container, the cage including a first ring supportable by the inner shelf and a second ring centering the cage within the elongated body; Accept multiple wafers,
An apparatus according to claim 9, comprising an open mesh member between the first ring and the second ring. 11. The compressing means comprises a compression plate that can come into contact with the first of the plurality of wafers aligned in the axial direction, and a space between the compression plate and the end cap that pushes the compression plate away from the first plate of the wafer. 5. A device according to claim 4, including pushing spring means. 12. The compression plate includes a base engageable with the first supporting means of the plurality of wafers, a neck portion extending from the base to the opposite side of the wafer, and an end portion opposite to the neck portion. An outer flange supported and extending outward relative to the base.
The device according to paragraph. 13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the compression plate moves independently of the end cap. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a bellows forming an inflatable seal between the outer flange and the end cap and defining the feed flow chamber. 15. A cage that is positionable within the container, the cage including a first ring supportable by the inner shelf and a second ring centering the cage within the elongated body; Accept multiple wafers,
15. An apparatus according to claim 14 having an open mesh member between the first ring and the second ring. 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the container includes an elongate body closed at one end and an end cap removably secured to the opposite end of the elongate body. 17. The compressing means includes a first compression ring and a third compression ring fixed to a peripheral edge in the container and elastically separated from each other by a plurality of wafers aligned in the axial direction. An apparatus according to claim 16. 18. A method for separating a fluid feed stream into a permeate portion and a residue portion, the method comprising providing a separation module having a feed fluid inlet and a residual fluid chamber connected by a plurality of axially aligned wafers, Each of the wafers comprises a mat of hollow fibers arranged in a chord of the wafer and arranged in a plurality of flat layers, each of the layers having a plurality of adjacent parallel aligned straight lines with an axial flow space therebetween. A hollow fiber, the wafer further comprising continuous peripheral support means surrounding both ends of the hollow fiber, the method further comprising: feeding the feed stream through the feed inlet on the wafer. A penetrating portion directed axially through which the feed stream permeates the hollow fibers and flows radially through the peripheral support means into the permeate fluid chamber. If the around the hollow fibers is separated into a residual portion as axis direction through which the residual fluid chamber, separating the residual fluid and the permeate fluid from said module, the fluid separation method comprising the steps.